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E-Rate Funding Update:Effective Funding Year 2012Beginning in Funding Year 2012, schools receiving E-Rate funding for internet access or internal connections must verify that they have updated their internet safety policy to include provisions for educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interactions with other people on social networking sites and cyberbullying awareness and response. PublicSchoolWORKSNEW CIPA CoursesPublicSchoolWORKS is helping districts fulfill the new 2012 CIPA requirements by offering a series of courses designed specifically for teachers and students. There are four grade-appropriate courses for students, in addition to staff courses, that help schools receiving E-Rate funding meet this new training requirement. PublicSchoolWORKS’ CIPA courses include:
In addition to the PublicSchoolWORKS’ CIPA courses, students and parents will have access to the Student Bullying Reporting System, a 24/7 hotline and anonymous reporting system that allows for the reporting of harmful behavior in a non-threatening environment. It immediately notifies principals of behaviors or threats so that they can intervene before a situation escalates. The CIPA Parent InfoCenter center provides supportive information that allows parents to gain awareness of internet dangers and the steps needed to keep their children safe. To learn more about PSW’s CIPA courses, email sales@publicschoolworks.com or visit the CIPA website. SPOTLIGHTCyberbullying on the RiseAcross the Unites States, school districts will soon need to address new or revised cyberbullying laws. Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine and New York lawmakers are discussing addressing digital bullying in laws in an effort to protect against instances of bullied students committing suicide. Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Georgia and Illinois only consider cyberbullying punishable if committed on computers either owned or leased by the school. According to a recent article on USA Today’s website, Delaware lawmakers will meet to discuss how to handle cyberbullying off campus, while Indiana is looking to pass a bill that would give school districts more authority to deal with off-campus bullying” To combat the growth in cyberbullying, PublicSchoolWORKS has created the Parent InfoCenter. This new tool helps districts meet state-specific requirements on safety awareness for parents, including bullying prevention and child abuse prevention training. With this tool, students and parents have the ability to report, anonymously if they choose, any incident affecting them or, that they may have seen or heard about from another person. Once reported, the appropriate administrator is auto notified and the issue is tracked to completion making a safer school environment for all students. To learn more about PublicSchoolWORKS’ Parent InfoCenter, contact sales@publicschoolworks.com. SPOTLIGHTAnti-Bullying Bill in IdahoThe Herald newspaper in Everett, WA reported that an anti-bullying bill in Idaho is being blocked by Rep. Bob Nonini, chairman of the House Education Committee. The bill, which would mandate that administrators and teachers identify and manage students who threaten or harass their classmates, does not look like it will be passed for public schools this year. Despite efforts from democratic Rep. Brian Cronin to get the bill passed, Nonini claims that schools already have a system in place for handling bullies. Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake has criticized Nonini stating that bullying is a major issue in his district. According to the article, Anderson calls the blocking of the bill a “missed opportunity to send a strong message to students that lawmakers take bullying in schools seriously. What are your thoughts on bullying legislation? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @PSWORKS. 
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